


Devotion

by DigitalThespian



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Getting Together, Internal Monologue, Link (Legend of Zelda) Uses Sign Language, Link's mind is different because lost memories, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Oblivious Link (Legend of Zelda), Pining, Somewhat canon-compliant, Unrequited Love, Zelda (Legend of Zelda) Needs A Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:08:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26206942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitalThespian/pseuds/DigitalThespian
Summary: Link had been asked to watch over Paya; this left him with far more time to think than usual. Even still, he was going to do everything he could to make her feel safe. She deserved to be happy.And it made him happy to see her smile.
Relationships: Link/Paya (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 73





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, have a thing. Why did I write this? Because I searched this ship and there were only around forty-fifty fics in total, which is crazy to me, because Paya is _adorable_ and this game has been out for like, three years. So I wrote one, because I'm always a sucker for fluff. Enjoy!

Link shifted his weight, mind present on his task, yet absent at the same time. He had long since gotten used to the sensation of feeling his body perform tasks he'd forgotten learning, or employing meditation strategies he couldn't consciously replicate. The part of him that was aware was oddly restless—but not bored, as he had expected. He was almost.. bristling.

He pushed the thought from his mind. Paya needed him to keep watch, and so watch he would. It was an inconsequential sacrifice for her peace of mind. He frowned slightly at the strength of that conviction; where had it come from? She reminded him of someone.. several people, actually, none of which could he picture in more than vague images. A Rito girl with red hair; a woman with blonde hair whose outfit was different every time her image sprang to mind; a woman with pointed ears and red hair standing by a horse. They all filled his heart with an emotion he couldn't place; loyalty, yes, but there was a hint of something else, and they were all unique.

..And then there was Paya herself. He shook his head slightly. He couldn't get distracted. He had to be vigilant, someone had been here, and if they came back.. he would be ready.

"..M-Master Link?" He turned at the sound of her voice, giving her an inquisitive look. "Would you be willing to accompany me for some errands I need to run around town..? I-I know you agreed to stay, but I still feel the need to ask, I couldn't possibly tell you what to do."

He prepared to muster the warmest, most reassuring smile he could, reaching deep into his heart for every scrap of happiness, every comforting memory he could grasp in the fog of his memories—and then when the moment came, he found that a smile already rested on his features, far brighter than the one he had wrought by force of will. He nodded, warmth blooming in his chest at the excited smile he received in return. "Oh, good!" She passed by him, and the two made their way out of the house.

He heard Impa call out behind him. "Relax a little, Link, we know you're not slacking off."

He furrowed his brow. What did she mean by that? He didn't feel like he looked too serious..

He took stock of his posture and body language; loosening his shoulders, allowing more of his weight to come to rest with each step. He nodded ever so slightly, happy with the adjustment. It wouldn't do to make his charge nervous—that was rather the opposite of the point of watching over her, after all.

They stopped in front of the general goods store in town and Paya turned to him. "Do you want to come in, or would you rather stay out here?" He shrugged, gesturing to her, and she nodded. "If it's all the same to you, then.. come inside with me?"

He smiled again, following her in. Her hair swayed gently as she walked, and he found himself thinking that when she collected herself, she was rather charming. The rest of the time he just felt bad for making her uncomfortable; it didn't suit her, what with how capable she was.

He stood to the side to keep an eye on the door, and to keep out of Paya's way. The shopkeeper raised a brow. "You don't have to be a stranger, you know, you're not imposing on me."

Link shook his head, leaning the haft of his spear in the crook of his elbow and making a few quick gestures in lieu of speaking. "I'm on duty."

"Suit yourself."

He was thankful the Sheikah had their own sign language; communicating could be difficult in other parts of the world, but here in Kakariko? It was like being home. Paya paid for what she needed, then turned to Link with another bright smile. "Shall we be off?" He nodded, following her to the next destination.

She paused outside again. "Um.. how about you stay here this time."

He nodded, smiling gently. Whatever she preferred; he was here to make her feel at ease, after all. He turned to face the street, slipping into that same half-watchfulness from earlier. He kept his posture loose, letting his weight shift to one hip. After a few moments, his thoughts wandered again to Paya. She was somewhat of a mystery to him; she was kind, but there was clearly something she wasn't sharing when it came to their typical interactions.

For the first time in a long time, he found that it bothered him a bit. Was he too intimidating? No, he was careful to always give her his best smile, and he did his best to give her the space she needed when she got too flustered..

So what _was_ it..? If he didn't know better, he would think it was a lack of confidence, but that didn't make sense either. She was not someone to be taken lightly; from what little he had seen, she could handle herself quite well. He nodded slightly to himself, as if the part of him on watch was adding in its agreement.

There was a pair of taps on the wood of the staircase only a few paces behind him, and he turned in surprise. She had made the noise to avoid startling him, but he was more surprised she'd managed to sneak up on him at all. He laughed to himself. And just as he had been thinking about her capability. "..What?" Paya flushed slightly, tilting her head.

"You're very quiet. It's hard to sneak up on me. I'm impressed." Link watched in confusion as she grew steadily redder the more the sentence progressed, but he didn't let it show.

"Oh! W-Well, I.. thank you, Master Link," She turned away. "Shall we go?"

He nodded, following along silently, watching out for anything unusual. His attention was drawn to a stray leaf caught in Paya's hair, and he reached forward to pluck it out. She started, whirling around, and he held it up by way of explanation. "O-Oh, thank you.." He smiled, and they continued, before stopping at their next destination. "This will be fast, I'll be right back," He smiled as she darted inside.

She may have felt like she was asking something of him, but if he was honest with himself, he was glad to have a reason to stay a while. He liked it here; and he liked being around her. Something more lurked in the back of his mind, a thought that refused to make itself known, but also refused to leave. He frowned, trying to make sense of it; but alas, it yielded no answers to the mystery it held, and so he decided to let it be. It wasn't the first time a memory or thought eluded him, and it likely wouldn't be the last.

She came back out, carrying a bag she hadn't had before, and he gave her a questioning look. "Just some supplies," She seemed somewhat evasive, but he took her at her word. She was just.. like that sometimes, and that was alright—even if it did bother him that it only seemed to be around him.

They returned to Impa's hut, and he escorted her upstairs. Impa gave him a knowing smile; this also wasn't unusual. Impa always knew something he didn't, so he paid it no mind. He learned a long time ago that worrying every time _that_ happened would mean worrying his whole life away.

Paya turned to face him. "Um.. thank you, for accompanying me, Master Link.."

He once again found himself smiling before he could even try, and this time he simply let it happen. "I'll stay here as long as you need, Paya."

She shifted for a moment. "Er.. forgive me if this is rude, but.. I've heard you vocalize before, so why do you never speak..?"

He shook his head. "Can't."

"You can't..? What do you mean?"

He tried to form words, the sensation foreign after so long, but all that emerged was a hoarse croak. "That's the best I can do." She looked horrified, and he winced. "Sorry."

She shook her head quickly. "Why? Oh, Master Link, _I'm_ sorry! That was so thoughtless of me—"

She cut off when he gently touched her shoulder, giving her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. She stared for a few moments, then quickly looked away, face red. He cursed internally; it must not have come across like he'd hoped. She swayed slightly, hands clasped behind her. "I know this must seem childish, but.. will you stay?" He tilted his head curiously, nodding despite his question. "..here, I mean.. t-tonight."

He blinked, still unsure what the issue was. He nodded again, and she sagged slightly in relief. Whatever it was, he seemed to have put her at ease, so he was going to consider that a success. "I need to make dinner, but if you need to fetch anything for the night I'll be alright while you're gone," He shook his head, gesturing to his pack in the corner. "Oh, then.. I suppose we'll go..?"

He followed her back downstairs, and watched her unpack the bag she had bought. As she pulled items out, he realized that among them were the ingredients to make his favorite food—and there wasn't too much else. Sure enough, once she began to cook, it became clear that it was indeed his favorite. He smiled to himself as he watched, for once completely inattentive to his duties. He took in the way her tongue poked out ever so slightly as she concentrated, or how she would tuck her hair behind her ear, only to have it fall down again mere moments later.

He admired her focus, her dedication, her kindness. She was the one who had experienced something scary, but she was cooking _his_ favorite, not hers. She struck him as the type who felt better when doing things for people, so it wasn't too surprising; besides, he wasn't going to argue anyway, he knew that contradicting her gut instinct wasn't going to be helpful right now. He smiled wider as she began humming a short little tune; he couldn't place it, but he was content to simply listen to the sound of her voice—or what parts of that sound came through when humming, anyway.

She tapped the spoon on the side of the pot, waving a hand over it to cool it off before tasting it. She tilted her head side to side a bit; the verdict seemed to fall on the side of lacking something, as her nose scrunched up a few moments later. She added a few pinches of spice, going back to stirring gently. Her movements were sure and steady, and he took a moment to appreciate the way she held herself. She was light on her feet, but it never seemed like she was off-balance. She was graceful, elegant; and she looked the part, too. Her long hair lent her an air of sophistication—even if it was oft broken by her panicked outbursts—and the structure of her cheeks and jaw were almost.. familiar, yet they fascinated him. _She_ fascinated him. She tasted the food again, and he couldn't help but stare as she beamed to herself.

He wanted to see that smile more often. The world needed more people like Paya. She looked over, and he realized he'd been staring, and worse, that he'd been neglecting his responsibility to her. He started to turn away, but then she smiled softly, and he found he couldn't bring himself to look away at all. "I should have known you'd catch on, Master Link.."

"For me?" She nodded, smile never fading. "Why?"

"I wanted to thank you, for watching over me.." She hugged her elbows.

"I would have done it anyway."

"And that's exactly why I wanted to."

The food was done in what felt like no time at all, and they ate in silence. Link was aware he should probably feel embarrassed at how he wolfed down his portion, but he had long since stopped caring about that sort of thing. Paya knew what he was like, anyway. And it _was_ his favorite, he could hardly be blamed for it—a distant part of him quietly took note that he liked her rendition of it more than any other time he could recall, even when he made it himself. Soon they were finished, and they headed upstairs to retire for the night.

He began to unpack his bedroll, until he heard a quiet noise behind him. It sounded like.. disappointment? Surprise? He wasn't sure. He looked back at Paya, who was sitting on her bed. "..I-I'm not going to m-m-make you sleep on the floor.."

Her stutter was suddenly much worse, and he smiled gently, hoping to ease her mind. "It's alright, I don't mind; do whatever makes you most comfortable."

She blushed brightly. "..t-then I d-d-don't want you to sleep on th-the floor.."

Everything he thought he knew about the situation fled his mind. He stared at her, pointing hesitantly at the bed. "..with you..?"

She nodded timidly. "..Yes," She looked shyly at him. "I-I understand if you don't want to, b-but.. it would m-m-make me.." She swallowed, steeling herself. "..happy."

He left his pack as it was, half-disassembled. He had heard what he needed to; he would fix it in the morning. "Then I will." He took a step closer before halting awkwardly. "Sorry, I—" He turned his head, closing his eyes. "You probably need to change, I'm sorry, I won't look."

There was a slight rustling, and he heard Paya take a deep breath after a few moments, letting it out slowly. "..Okay." He looked back cautiously to see her under the blankets, clutching them up to her chin.

..It was adorable.

He started to pull his shirt off, then halted again. "I-It's okay, Master Link," He nodded, completing the motion, and he slipped into the bed beside her. He then noticed she was not wearing pajamas like he had expected; she was wearing the thin underlayer of her usual outfit.

The reality of the situation finally set in. He was in a girl's bed, and she was wearing what amounted to undergarments and _nothing else_. He shook himself out of it; he had said to make herself comfortable, and he wasn't going to make any untoward comments or gestures. He was happy she felt safe enough to sleep in what she wanted to. He got comfortable, facing away from her and making sure to leave as much room between them as he could.

Then she blindsided him yet again.

"M-Mas—" She cut off, continuing much more quietly. "..Link..? I—I'm s-sorry, I didn't m-m-mean to make you uncomfortable.."

She just called him Link. Just Link. He looked over his shoulder cautiously, eyes widening at the hurt and disappointment in her expression. He rolled towards her enough to sign. "..I don't know what's expected of me, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you."

She looked at him a moment, before looking away. "..you d-don't have to, but.. I-I was hoping you would want to be.. c-c-closer.. t-to me..?"

He hesitated before scooting slightly closer, watching the undisguised warmth and wonder spread across her face when he did. He stopped before he was close enough to touch her; as radiant as she was, he had no desire to push his luck.

But it seemed Paya had other plans, and she held out her arms nervously. "Y-you're a gentleman, L-Link.. but.."

He stared in shock. "..you want me to..?"

"O-Only if you w-want to!" She hid her face. He scooted closer again, feeling his knees brush against hers. She gasped, looking at him with a brilliant blush on her cheeks. "L-Link..!" She slipped her arms around him after a bit of jerky hesitation, then after gathering her courage, drew him to her chest.

She gently played with his hair. "..i-is this okay..?" He felt his own face flush at the feeling of being pressed up against her skin. He stared for a few long moments, unable to respond; all the thoughts he'd been having today, all the inscrutable feelings..

They all suddenly made sense. That thought in his head that he hadn't been able to grasp barged into the fore of his mind, demanding to be heard.

"..um.. please answer."

Her voice cut through his thoughts, and he blinked, focusing on her again. He realized she'd stopped moving, and he awkwardly signed as well as he could while minimizing how much he needed to pull away. "..sorry, I like it, don't worry."

She sighed in relief, resuming her gentle petting as she ran her fingers through his hair. He couldn't help but push his head slightly into her hand, and she giggled. "..I've wanted to do this for a long time, but I never thought.." She trailed off for a moment. "..I never thought you would want me. You're the Champion of Hyrule, and I'm an attendant; I don't feel unimportant, but.. how could I be the sort of person who could capture your affections? I'm not a hero like you, I don't have any.. grand tales or adventures, I just.. live my life here in the village."

He shook his head, smiling. That was exactly what drew him to her. With her.. he could be Link, not the Champion. He could pretend that things were okay, that he had a somewhat normal life. And.. maybe someday, when this was all over.. that _would_ be his normal life. "I like that about you."

She blinked. "You do? You like that I'm.. mundane?"

"Not mundane; you're.." He sat a moment, searching for the word he wanted; he wanted to convey normalcy, but also just how incredible she was at the same time. "..home. I've haven't had a place to call home, not until now."

Her eyes were wide, and her face was bright red. "You think of _me_ as home..? Why me? Why only now..?"

"It's been longer, but I'm only now realizing that feeling was because I've been falling in love with you."

Her breath caught. "L-L-Love?!"

He shrank in on himself slightly; that may have been coming on a bit strong, but what was said couldn't be un-said, and besides.. it wasn't untrue. He did. The feeling in his mind settled into place, satisfied at the acknowledgment.

She shook her head quickly. "I—I l-l-love you, too," She pulled him close. "You can come home to me whenever you want, Link.. I'll always be here for you."

Hearing those words set a fire in his heart strong enough to keep him warm through the coldest parts of Hyrule. He tucked his head under hers, sighing happily. He could hear her heartbeat, and it was more comforting than he could have possibly expected.

He was lying in the arms of someone who truly cared, and who made him truly happy. This wasn't what he had expected from today, but he would cherish this memory as long as he lived. And if he had his way, after he had defeated Calamity Ganon..

He would come home for good. He allowed himself to imagine a life with her, even if it felt a bit silly. He had earned a little hope, if you asked him; was it really so wrong to wish for a quiet life in a cozy cottage with Paya? There were scarce few women he'd met in his life who he wouldn't worry overmuch about. He always would still, but he knew Paya could take care of herself. He knew that even if something else happened—and he knew it would, the life of the Champion was never quiet, not for long—even if he had to leave, she would be okay. She would be there when he came back. He wasn't going to lose anyone else; he _refused_ to lose anyone else.

Especially her.


	2. Desolation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda hadn't realized it was too late, and that it had _been_ too late since before she had even gotten the chance to try.
> 
> At least.. at least Link was happy, she told herself. That was enough.
> 
> ..It would _have_ to be enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have some angst but also fluff but also angst

"You.. what? You're not staying in the castle?" Link shook his head. "Oh.. I.. I see," Zelda tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I.."

"What's wrong?" Link tilted his head in concern; it wasn't like Zelda to be so unsure like this, not anymore.

"..I didn't realize you had anywhere else to go, I had assumed you would be staying, and I'm just.. adjusting, I suppose. I hadn't expected to have to say goodbye so soon.."

Link smiled gently. "You know where to find me; and I'll be sure to come visit."

"Right.." Zelda was quiet a moment. "Is there—" She cut off as quickly as she had started, looking away, and Link furrowed his brow. "It's.. It's nothing, don't mind me."

"Zelda, I know you better than that. Something's bothering you."

She wrapped her arms around herself, flustered. "I—it's silly, it's nothing to be concerned over."

"After what we've been through? If it bothers you, it's not silly."

She sagged in defeat. "..I was going to ask if there was someone waiting for you.."

He blinked. _That_ was what was bothering her? "I'm not going to be alone, don't worry," He assured her.

She let out a wry laugh, and he couldn't help but feel like he'd missed something. "..That's good, then. I'm happy for you; you deserve some peace."

* * *

"Link! You're back!" Paya dashed over, jumping into his arms, and he swung her around happily. "I missed you so; part of me was worried you'd decide to stay in the castle with Princess Zelda," She flushed, ducking her head sheepishly.

He gave her a bemused look. "Why would I do that?"

She blinked. "Weren't you two.. before, I mean, weren't you..?"

"Were we what?" He tilted his head.

She blushed harder. "..Together, like you and I are now," She mumbled.

He shook his head. "I was her bodyguard. There was no room for that sort of thing. When I first took my post I was fairly taken with her, but it didn't last. And besides, even if I _did_ still feel that way, she doesn't."

"Oh, good—oh, I mean—I'm sorry, I must sound like a jealous housewife.."

He kissed her gently. "Don't worry, Paya; you're the woman for me. I missed you too, while I was away."

* * *

"..I know that look." Zelda looked up in surprise when Impa spoke suddenly. "You never told him, did you? Or is he just too dense?"

Zelda snorted. "I think the latter; but, I've never said it directly, and I _know_ he's dense, so.. both, I suppose."

"I'm sorry you're in this predicament. But.. they're happy together. I don't think I can ever recall Link smiling the way he does with her, and Paya has come into her own so much," Impa smiled to herself, unaware just how distraught Zelda truly was.

"..I'm.. glad. I.. need to go. I'm sorry to barge in, Lady Impa."

"No need for that; Impa will do."

"..right."

* * *

"Paya?"

"Hmm? _Oh_!" Paya jumped slightly. "Princess Zelda! Um," She hunched slightly, muttering to herself. "Do I bow? Is that weird? But I don't want to be disrespectful.."

"I'm here as a friend of Link, not the Princess; you don't need to defer to me."

Paya laughed sheepishly. "Right.. well, welcome! Link is out right now gathering firewood, but he should be back soon," She began to turn away. "I'll be out of your way!"

"I was hoping to talk to you, actually." Zelda shifted her weight, seemingly unsure of her decision to say anything. "I.. feel like I should know you better, given how important you are to Link."

"Um! Well.. I'm not sure what to say; what did you want to know..?"

"How.. how did you meet?"

"Well.."

* * *

_Link staggered up the steps to Impa's hut, turning to plop down on the very top stair. He sat for a moment, panting, before looking over to see Paya wearing a shocked expression. "Who are you?!" She exclaimed._

_His head fell a moment, an expression on his face that seemed exasperated, and he made a few gestures. "What are the odds you can understand this?"_

_"..Good? I'm not sure I understand your question."_

_He blinked. "Wait, the Sheikah sign language is the same as it was over a hundred years ago?"_

_"There are a few signs I don't recognize, but I can infer; a hundred years?"_

_He beamed, and her heart skipped a beat. "Oh, that is the best news I've heard since I woke up. I've been in.. basically a coma for a hundred or so years, and I have to defeat Calamity Ganon."_

_" **Master Link..?!** "_

_He started. "You know me?"_

_"Of c-course I know you!"_

* * *

"And from then on I couldn't stop stuttering around him.."

Zelda smiled to herself. "I'm glad he had someone to talk to. It must have been terribly lonely, not being able to talk to anyone.."

"He said something similar once." Paya set down the tray, pouring two cups of tea.

"Thank you," Zelda took hers, simply holding it for the time being to let it warm up her hands.

..Winters were cold indeed this far north.

The door opened, and Link darted in, kicking it shut behind him. His face was hidden behind a large armload of wood.

"Link, what did I say about overdoing things!" Paya chided him gently, standing to assist him.

Zelda watched the scene, a bittersweet feeling settling in her chest. If _she_ had said something like that, he wouldn't have taken it well, or would have just ignored her, but Paya..

"Sorry, I didn't want to be cold any longer, so I made one big trip.." He scratched his head sheepishly.

..He _listened_ to Paya. Zelda was brought from her thoughts by Link's sudden attention.

"Zelda! Oh, I didn't realize you were coming, is everything alright?" He had halted with one boot still on, clearly waiting to see if he needed to go out again. Ever loyal, ever dedicated, her Link… though he wasn't _her_ Link; not anymore.

..Perhaps he never was. "Yes, don't worry; I simply wanted to visit. I find myself with an abundance of time as of late, given that Hyrule is not nearly as populous as it was.."

He smiled sadly. "Well, you're always welcome here. I can see Paya made tea; I hope you two have been getting along?"

"Oh, yes! She was asking about how we met, and we were generally getting to know each other," Paya beamed.

..Zelda couldn't bring herself to resent Paya, she was just too sweet. She was clearly so happy, like Impa had said, and Link was more at ease than Zelda had ever seen him. "I can see why you're so taken with her."

Paya squeaked, covering her face—though it did nothing to hide the crimson shade creeping down her neck.

Link, on the other hand, _laughed_. Actually laughed; _out loud_. Zelda was stunned. It was by no means a pleasant sound by itself, but what it represented.. It was beautiful, and it only intensified the pain of knowing she would never be the one to—

She shook herself out of it. Enough wallowing.

"I see you've already figured out how to embarrass my wife," Link wiped his eyes.

Zelda felt as though she had been struck by lightning.

..she hadn't realized they were married. She knew they lived together, but she had thought—

She hid her aching heart behind a small smirk. "It was an accident, but I'll make a note all the same," ..She didn't need to make either of them feel guilty.

* * *

Zelda stared out the window, watching the snow come down in the moonlight. It was rather poetic, in a way; it was beautiful, but she knew that if she reached out for it, if she tried to experience it, the cold would cut her down in minutes. She sighed, laying her head in her arms on the table.

..just like loving him. She couldn't be with him, and the more she tried, the more she would hurt. She never would have believed Link could ever hurt her.. but she supposed he wasn't doing so on purpose, which was in keeping with the sort of devotion so characteristic of her knight.

 _Not_ her knight; not anymore. She had to stop that, she had to stop thinking of him as a constant, someone who would always be by—

A sob caught in her throat.

..always be by her side. She felt tears running down her cheeks. She loved him. She loved him so much it _hurt_ , she didn't want to watch him live his life loving another, but she had to. She wanted him to come home to _her_ , to laugh like he had because of _her_ , to smile at _her_ the way he smiled at—at Paya.

She felt awful for it, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't muster more than a lukewarm tolerance for Paya; there was no overcoming the looming hurt, the reminder that Paya had what she wanted. _She_ wanted to be the one he called his wife, not _her_. She didn't _resent_ her, she couldn't, not when he loved her so dearly, but..

"..Zelda?"

 _No_ , not _now_ , she was _not_ ready to talk to Paya right now— "Yes?"

"Is everything alright..? Forgive me if I'm intruding," Paya's voice was gentle, caring.

"..I just.. couldn't sleep. Don't mind me."

"..Alright, well.. I hope things improve."

"..Me too."

..But she knew they couldn't.

* * *

"..This is the third night you've been out here," Paya ventured.

Zelda sighed. "..Yes, yes it is."

"Sorry, I don't.."

"You don't mean any harm, it's.. my burden."

"..Would you like to talk about it?"

"..I don't think that would be feasible."

"What do you mean? Is it a long story?"

"Not.. exactly." Zelda laughed to herself.

It wasn't long at all—a mere six words; 'I'm in love with your husband.'

"Oh.. was it.. something _I_ did..?" Zelda's hesitation in deciding how to answer was answer enough. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"Yes, you did; but I can't blame you, it's not something you have to apologize for. It's.. as I said. It's my burden, not yours."

"What..? I did mean to..? What could.." There was a long silence, and Zelda thought for a moment that Paya had left, but then she spoke up again. "..it's Link, isn't it? You.."

Zelda felt her hands tighten, despite there being nothing to hold. "..yes. I.. always have."

"..you never said anything." It wasn't a question, and Zelda wondered how she knew. "When he first came back from the castle, I remember telling him I was worried he was going to stay there, with you."

"Really?" Zelda finally looked over, and noticed Paya staring out the window with an oddly passive expression.

"Mhm. He told me that you weren't interested in him that way, among other things," Paya looked back at Zelda. "But you were. You _are_. You love him." She sighed. "I.. I'm sorry, really, but.. you're right, I can't find it in me to feel bad about marrying him. _I_ love him, too. He makes me happy."

"..I know. I can tell. And you make him happy too; I've never.. I'd never heard him laugh before. Not out loud like that."

"He sounds sort of like a honking goose, but I love it anyway," Paya smiled to herself.

Zelda giggled. "He really does, doesn't he?"

"While I can't offer much comfort.. I can at least assure you that I won't try to hoard him away from you. You're important to him too, even if.."

"..It's not the way that I'd like it to be."

Paya nodded sadly. "Well.. I'll leave you be, then..?"

"I.. yes. That would likely be for the best. I am sorry that I can't be a friend to you the way I should.."

"I understand.. I don't hold it against you."

* * *

"Watch this," Link held the sturdy wooden shield in both hands with a grin, and Zelda wondered what he meant—

—And then he leapt down the slope, using the shield as a sort of sled. It was, frankly, terrifying. She couldn't imagine going that fast on nothing but a disc of wood held together by steel rivets; though she supposed he was made of tougher stuff than most, considering the sheer volume of power he had received from the Goddess.

She winced as he crashed headfirst into a tree about halfway down. Fortunately, he seemed to be fine, as she could hear that hideous, wonderful laugh of his all the way from here. She felt her heart squeeze. It was getting easier, she told herself.

..Perhaps if she told herself enough, it would be true, someday.

"Is he shield surfing again?"

Zelda turned to face Paya. "Is that what it's called?"

"He picked it up on his travels; he swears he's going to get me to try it, but I rather like my bones unbroken. We can't all be blessed by the Goddess with supernatural durability, not to mention he was already a preternatural force on his own, to hear the tales tell it."

"He always has been extraordinary, I can say that much. I can't remember a single time he would tire before I did in all the time he spent as my bodyguard."

Link came trekking back up the slope, noticing Paya and blushing, scratching his head sheepishly. "Sorry, I know you don't like it when I act recklessly like that.."

Zelda snorted. "Link, you have been reckless since the day we met. It's almost a _prerequisite_ for being the bearer of Courage."

He tilted his head. "Bearer of Courage?"

Zelda stopped. "You.. I suppose you wouldn't know, would you..?" She shook her head. "It's not important now. It has to do with a lot of mystical business about predestination and past lives."

He nodded his understanding. "I remember bits and pieces; there was a boat that could talk, once, I think."

The two women stared at him, agape. "I'm.. sorry? You _remember_ your past lives?"

He looked between them somewhat nervously. "..yes? Should I not?"

Paya shook her head. "..No, you shouldn't."

"That shouldn't be possible.." Zelda murmured.

He blinked, then shrugged. "Oh well. I've never been one for what people think is possible anyway."

Paya giggled. "You really aren't, dear. But come on, you two; I've just finished a batch of mulled wine, and it's very cold out here."

* * *

"Well.. I suppose it's time for me to return to the castle."

"It's been lovely having you, Zelda." Paya smiled gently.

Link, on the other hand, was beaming from ear to ear. "Come visit anytime!"

Zelda smiled back, the ache in her heart only barely dulling the edges. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you for accommodating me so graciously." She left, closing the door behind her, and she shivered as the cold assaulted her, the wind trying its best to seep into her clothing through the gaps by her neck and wrists.

..It was going to be a lonely trek home.

**Author's Note:**

> Working title: "link thinks a lot and says very little"


End file.
